


Tiredness

by aboutmikasa (Coco_c)



Category: Shingeki no Kyojin | Attack on Titan
Genre: F/M, canonverse
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-01-16
Updated: 2016-01-16
Packaged: 2018-05-14 06:02:42
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,198
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5732041
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Coco_c/pseuds/aboutmikasa
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>“She saw him every day, fighting, working and teaching. He had time for everything and everyone but himself. It pained her for reasons she never thought –not in her wildest dreams- she would care.” RMW6</p>
            </blockquote>





	Tiredness

**Author's Note:**

> For RivaMika Week, day 2  
> The high priestess / "While the world around her is in constant motion, she stands firm in her ground of logic and intuition.”

“You should sleep.”

“Mind your own business, shitty-eyes.”

“I mean it, Levi.”

“I’ll sleep when all this is over.”

The first time Mikasa listened to his words, she didn’t care, more important matters demanded her attention and he had no place in her life. But life changed, life always changes. Mikasa learned that allowing more people in her life made her stronger, not weaker, and he helped her to understand it. She kept listening to the same request, sometimes from Erwin; but their Commander didn’t rest either, and his request sounded funny to Levi since they were the same. Sometimes it came from Hanji, the scientist’s concern never stopped even if he answered with an identical expression every time. Levi’s answer used to be harsh but Mikasa noticed a grateful pause on his voice. Even a frightened Eren tried a few times. The same answer came from her Captain’s lips, “when all this is over.” The girl suspected he slept a couple of hours a day, and some days, not even that.

She saw him every day, fighting, working and teaching. He had time for everything and everyone but himself. It pained her for reasons she never thought — _not in her wildest dreams_ — she would care. They had a _different_ relationship, as they had been told; years passed and their bond became strong. Still, they weren’t friends in a conventional way. But they cared for each other, she could bet her scarf and his cravat. The bags under his eyes were getting worse and worse, and she wanted to do something, yet, she had no idea of what to do or how to do it. She didn’t stop trying to do more for him, even if he refused the help from any of them or didn’t notice her actions. If in her usual straightforward manner Mikasa asked him, he didn’t raise his eyes from whatever document he read and assigned her more training hours or cleaning duties.

However, two mules could play the game.

Mikasa did little things. First, she helped with his training duties, nothing big, nothing obvious; extra explanations to rookies, more time fighting with her teammates, correcting their techniques, cleaning after practice before he asked. She wasn’t Levi, but people acknowledged her abilities; her strength, accuracy, and impeccable technique granted their respect, and it didn’t seem rare for rookies to take her advice and help. Soon, it became an established system and she had hours and groups for training.

Then, she moved to cleaning chores; he repeated his orders once, not twice or thrice as he used to in this specific and obsessive matter. It was a bit more complicated task but she made it work like a charm. A slight biting of her bottom lip and Jean did an outstanding job with the windows every time she asked. Death glares to new recruits and those poor teenagers almost peed themselves but made what she told them, the way she told them; stables, bathrooms and latrines shined. Half of her daily bread to Sasha, and her friend cleaned the floors with exceptional care. Simple straight forward requests to Eren and Armin, and the kitchen never looked better; finally, Eren’s admiration for their Captain was a blessing for her.

Little by little her Captain’s shoulders were lighter. Even if reports, documents and meetings kept finding their way to his desk, he had more time. When he traveled with Hanji and Erwin, things worked fine at the Survey’s headquarters and with his squad. After one month of her takeover, she moved to a less subtle strategy. One night, an unusually nervous but deadpanned Mikasa came to his office with freshly poured tea, and without asking, the girl took papers from his pile and sat across him.

“What the hell do you think you are doing, Mikasa?” The way he looked at her was priceless; nonetheless, she ignored his glare and grumbles.

“Well, I’m not slicing titans.”

“Really funny, brat.”

“Levi, I’m trying to concentrate here, if you don’t mind. We have a lot of work to do; so, be quiet, please.”

“Are you trying to piss me off?”

“I’m working. Pissing you off is a bonus.”

After half an hour of their comebacks, Levi remained quiet, working at her side. He didn’t notice her actions at the beginning; neither had he noticed how they shared his duties until his shoulders ached less. It took him weeks, but he knew everything she did.

“Latrines are clean, I assume. You have been doing well, Mikasa.”

“You knew…” Her eyes never left the document but she wasn’t reading it.

“Of course, I knew it. Their half-assed work suddenly improved without me ordering, or making them redo it. I’m not stupid, Mikasa. Hanji is impressed with you, by the way.”

“I just want to help, Sir.”

Something in her voice made him fix his eyes on her, but her eternal stubbornness struck again, as always did, and her bangs hid her face.

“Thank you, Mikasa.”

Neither of them said another word.

They remained in silence most of the nights, working side by side. But they talked more, he trusted her more and she accomplished half of her self-imposed mission. Levi didn’t ask her why, taking her help without complaints. She didn’t ask him to sleep more; Mikasa knew better. Every night after she left him, Levi kept working, and finding solutions as the Surveys, Erwin and Historia needed. With every new day, they worked better and better as a team. He teased her with her new administrative skills and even if she rolled her eyes, the girl wished she could do more. But even Mikasa Ackerman found dead-ends.

One night, after an endless, rough day, she found him sat at his desk; his jacket off, his sleeves rolled to his elbows. Levi’s head rested in his hands, his elbows propped against the desktop and his eyes closed. He finished a long list of names, not just names, soldiers; people they knew. They worked with them, trained them, and saw them die. Levi had not a talkative nature, just like Mikasa. They never needed words to be comfortable together. However, that night, his silence, the redness and the bags under his eyes pained her in ways she couldn’t explain. Her chest ached. For so long, Mikasa had known that his pain hurt her more than her own, and she wanted to reach out and hold him tight, comforting him.

She needed to be braver and stronger for him.

Mikasa took his hand and led the way. They were at his room, and that made it easier. Levi followed her without questions and watched her remove the straps from her own uniform before she did the same with him. After she took off their boots, she lay on his bed with him; her eyes never left his, answering his questions. Levi hesitated, but overcame his doubts, for reasons he never imagined — _not in his wildest dreams_.

Mikasa rested her head on his chest and her hands caressed his head, stroking his hair. Levi held her safe in his arms, and when he surrendered to her care, his body relaxed, and he finally slept.

**Author's Note:**

> Virtual hugs to minxiebutt who beta read my madness and found the nicest way to help me.


End file.
